Old friendships and new ambitions combine to give the lower Peninsula its first Division I college baseball game in years, when Old Dominion and VMI will play each other Wednesday at 6 p.m. at War Memorial Stadium.

New Monarchs' coach Chris Finwood is a Hampton native and VMI grad. As a young assistant at his alma mater, he coached present Keydets head coach Marlin Ikenberry, also a VMI grad. Those two have been friends for years with Hank Morgan, the Peninsula Pilots' coach and general manager whose team is the primary summer tenant at the old ballyard off of Pembroke Avenue.

For years, Finwood and Ikenberry have sent players to the Pilots, who compete in the Coastal Plain League. They are well aware of the league and the franchise that Hank and his father Henry operate.

"The idea kind of came out of (Finwood's) head," Hank Morgan said of the ODU-VMI game at War Memorial. "He enjoys the atmosphere and what we have going on over here. He wants to try to grow the Old Dominion program and create a greater presence on the Peninsula."

ODU's roster is dotted with players from south Hampton Roads, but only one player from the Peninsula: redshirt junior Shawn Sizemore from Menchville. Sophomore Joey Burney from Gloucester was a freshman All-American last season.

VMI has five players from Hampton Roads on its roster, and Ikenberry, too, would like to increase the program's presence in the area.

The Apprentice School plays home games at War Memorial, and the Peninsula District holds its baseball tournament at the stadium. Morgan said that Finwood aims to bring the Monarchs to War Memorial Stadium every spring.

"From our perspective, we'd like for it to become an annual deal," Hank Morgan said. "It becomes more reasonable and realistic for marketing and promotional purposes if it's every year than if it's just a one-time thing dropped in the middle of the schedule."

Wednesday's date is the second of a two-game, mid-week series between ODU and VMI. The two teams played Tuesday afternoon at Old Dominion.

The Monarchs were 4-10 before Tuesday's game, after losing two of three in a weekend series against conference rival Delaware. VMI (6-8) opened its season against two-time College World Series champ South Carolina and most recently won two of three versus Youngstown State before Tuesday's game versus ODU.

Tickets for Wednesday's game are $5 for adults and $3 for youth, seniors and dependents of active-duty military. Active-duty military are admitted for free.